Multiple packages



ay 16, 1%? G. LVAs MULTIPLE PACKAGES Filed Nov. 2, 1964 United States Patent O 3,319,865 MULTIPLE PACKAGES George Livas, Santa Margherita Lignre, Italy, assignor to King Packaging Limited, Tunlridge Wells, England Filed Nov. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 408,095 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 7, 1963, 952,999 2 Claims. (CI. 229-25) The invention is concerned with a multiple, stackable, shock resistant package adapted for the transport of fragile and rounded articles such as eggs.

It is known to transport eggs in packages of plastics material containing hernispherical housings which correspond to the shape of each egg. The management of such packages requires great precautions, however, the shocks received by the walls being transmitted directly to the eggs which in consequence run the risk of breakage. Furthermore, the transport of significant quantities of independent packages requires complicated stowage, since it is not possible to pile the packages one on another by reason of the hemispherical protuberances on each of their faces.

The package according to the invention avoids these disadvantages as well as being a simple and cheap article to produce. It comprises two co-operating parts provided with hemispherical housings in which rounded articles can be accommodated, these housings being provided internally with protuberances which immobilise the articles to be transported and avoid their direct contact with the hemispherical walls, the housings of each part having external projections of complementary profile which can absorb the shocks received, without transmitting them to the articles being transported and allowing the packages to be piled by engaging the projections on the upper face of one of them in the projections on the lower face of another package.

One embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter, by way of example and not of limitation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of a package according to the invention in the open position.

FG. 2 is a section along the line II-II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line III-III of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the package shown in FIGURE 1 in the closed position.

FIGURE 1 shows a sheet of a fiexible material in which are moulded hemispherical housings la and lb (six in number in the drawings), carried respectively by the two halves 2 and 3 of the sheet and symmetrically disposed with respect to the folding lines.

Closing of the package is brought about by folding the sheet about the lines 4, and parts 2 and 3 abutting against each other and the housings la and 1b cooperating to form complete housings Which can enclose rounded articles.

According to the invention, the housings la and lb are provided with external projections, respectively 5 and 6, having complementary profiles which permit their interengagement. Furthermore, the housings Ia and lb are provided with a circular protuberance 7 projecting towards the interior of the housings.

The projections 5 and 6 play a double role; firstly they prevent direct contact between the transported articles and external objects, and thus receive external shocks without transmitting them to the articles housed in the hollows, and secondly they allow the packages to be piled one on the other by engaging the projections themselves on one face 2 of one package in the hollows of the projections 5 on one face 3 of another package. Even when so engaged the projections 5 and 6 continue to prevent all direct contact between the transported objects and external objects and in consequence to absorb or allay all external shocks.

The protuberances 7 permit the avoidance of direct contact between the walls of the housings and the objects transported and thus help to reduce the risk of breakage by lateral shocks. Furthermore, these protuberances 7 support the transported article and thus prevent it from moving and striking the walls in the frequent cases where the object transported is smaller than the housings employed.

The apparatus 8 almost at the opposite extremities of the parts 2 and 3 of the sheet, co-operate in the closed position of the package to form a handle by which it can be carried in the hand.

The fixing of the parts 2 and 3 against one another in the closed position can be brought about by the use of any known means.

Several protuberances 7 may be provided in each housings la and lb and it will be understood that the number of housings carried by each half of the package is in no way limited.

The package according to the invention can be produced in all flexible materials, to transparent or opaque, coloured or not. It is however, preferable to employ a synthetic plastics material which can be moulder and which thus permits the economical production of packages of small thickness and in consequence of small weight.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiple package for fragile rounded articles cornprising: first and second package portions foldably connected to each other along one common edge for folding together into face to face relationship; a plurality of generally hemispherical housing walls formed in each portion and symmetrically disposed with respect to said edge for cooperation when said portions are folded together to define complete housings for individually surrounding the articles to be carried; an annular protuberance formed in each housing wall and projecting towards the interior of the housing to maintain said articles in a fixed position in relation to said package; a first external, generally cylindrical projection extending in an axial direction from the apex of each housing wall on both said first and second package portions; and a second generally cylindrical external projection extending in the same axial direction from said first projection on each housing wall on said first package portion and having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said first projection, said first projections on said housing walls on said second package portion each being formed with a cylindrical depression in its free end generally complementary in size and configuration to said second projection.

2. A multiple package according to claim 1 wherein said first and second package portions each contain an aperture at a position therein remote from said common edge, said apertures being disposed to coincide with one another when said portions are folded together and being so dimensioned as to form a handle for carrying the package.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENT S 11/1961 Kaplan 206 46 2/1966 Knirim 229 25 

1. A MULTIPLE PACKAGE FOR FRAGILE ROUNDED ARTICLES COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND PACKAGE PORTIONS FOLDABLY CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER ALONG ONE COMMON EDGE FOR FOLDING TOGETHER INTO FACE TO FACE RELATIONSHIP; A PLURALITY OF GENERALLY HEMISPHERICAL HOUSING WALLS FORMED IN EACH PORTION AND SYMMETRICALLY DISPOSED WITH RESPECT TO SAID EDGE FOR COOPERATION WHEN SAID PORTIONS ARE FOLDED TOGETHER TO DEFINE COMPLETE HOUSINGS FOR INDIVIDUALLY SURROUNDING THE ARTICLES TO BE CARRIED; AN ANNULAR PROTUBERANCE FORMED IN EACH HOUSING WALL AND PROJECTING TOWARDS THE INTERIOR OF THE HOUSING TO MAINTAIN SAID ARTICLES IN A FIXED POSITION IN RELATION TO SAID PACKAGE; A FIRST EXTERNAL, GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL PROJECTION EXTENDING IN AN AXIAL DIRECTION FROM THE APEX OF EACH HOUSING WALL ON BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND PACKAGE PORTIONS; AND A SECOND GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL EXTERNAL PROJECTION EXTENDING IN THE SAME AXIAL DIRECTION FROM SAID FIRST PROJECTION ON EACH HOUSING WALL ON SAID FIRST PACKAGE PORTION AND HAVING A DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID FIRST PROJECTION, SAID FIRST PROJECTIONS ON SAID HOUSING WALLS ON SAID SECOND PACKAGE PORTION EACH BEING FORMED WITH A CYLINDRICAL DEPRESSION IN ITS FREE END GENERALLY COMPLEMENTARY IN SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO SAID SECOND PROJECTION. 